Another birthday?!

This week I turned 36.  I feel pretty ambivalent about it, except I look back at pictures of when I was in my twenties, and then it hits me--I've aged.  I have wrinkles.  I have cellulite.  I have aches and pains.  I'm tired.  Since the clock is ticking, I still wonder if Little Lewie will ever have a sibling.  One part of my brain says I have to try now, and another part says I may not have the stamina to keep up...  Little Lewie is already a whirlwind of energy that keeps both Mommy and Daddy on our toes.

Courtesy of Google Images

Yes, the signs of aging are there in spite of my best efforts to exercise and eat right (at least most of the time).  Still, I'm a year wiser and a year more experienced.  I've learned a lot in one year--this must count for something.  I've grown a little more tolerant of my messy house.  I've learned how to stretch a dollar.  I've learned to be patient during three year-old temper tantrums.  I've learned that marriage is worth fighting for, and I've learned to accept imperfection at most every level.

However, I've also learned that gratitude is everything, and if we ask enough, our prayers are answered (even if they are answered differently than our expectations).  I have a lot to be thankful for, and so while I'm "aging" and "learning" , I'm also celebrating moments both big and small.  This year, I suppose, will go by just as quickly (or maybe even quicker) than the rest, and no doubt, I will find a new laugh line that never appeared before, but as long as I've got an attitude of gratitude, and I've created a new laugh line instead of a frown line, 36 will be a wonderful year.